The Hemi King… Jon Stouffer’s Mopar Mania

Imagine, from a 12-year old’s perspective, seeing a ’68 Barracuda for the very first time, a new car belonging to a friend’s dad. That image proved to be indelible for Jon Stouffer, the start of a love affair not only with all things Mopar, but with drag racing and going fast too.

The Neosho, Missouri resident, is not only something of a local favorite, he’s also a rarity among Pro Xtreme racers in that he campaigns a ’70 Hemi ‘Cuda.

While its silhouette may say ‘replica’, there’s nothing simulated about the 12:1 compression, 4,000 HP, PSI blown BAE Hemi under hood. Cylinder heads are also Brad Anderson products, and the rest of the Buddy Farmer-built motor is potent enough under Stouffer’s on-track guidance to net two wins in the Mickey Thompson series, the first coming at Rogersville’s Ozark Raceway, and another two weeks ago right here at Gateway. With a 3.86 @ 184 MPH in cold weather, Stouffer is looking for a sub 3.74 @ 202 MPH run at the X-DRL event to eclipse his previous best.

Having been indoctrinated in drag racing in 1982, Jon started racing in 1985. Prior to having the ’70 ‘Cuda built, Stouffer raced an actual steel-bodied Barracuda, his street car converted to track use only, with a blown Hemi that evolved over time into a racer capable of running 10.70s.

Racing is only one aspect of Jon’s multifaceted personality. He is the owner and CEO of a successful Internet communications company, Stouffer Communications, which serves eastern Kansas and western Missouri. Stouffer is also a serious collector of ultra rare muscle cars, and to no one’s surprise comprised of mostly Mopars.

Among those in Jon’s stable is a numbers matching, 4-speed equipped Hemi Daytona, a fabled ‘wing’ car that was one of 22 with a 4-speed, and only 1 of 11 known to exist. All Daytonas are capable of generating astonishing numbers in a arena like the Barrett-Jackson auction, and Stouffer’s would if he were to sell them. Stouffer also mentioned two other Daytonas, both non-Hemi 440-Wedge powered cars, part of only 503 Daytonas built. Non-Hemi Daytonas go for over $500,000, with the Hemi Daytona with a manual transmission in a class of its own. Beyond this, the ‘California Flash’ of early Pro Stock fame, Butch Leal’s ’67 Dodge Coronet, which was authenticated by Leal and former Chrysler performance head, Bob Cahill, and Project Six Pack of magazine fame, are among his collection of Mopars of distinction.